LoseBurden(64)
by Daisy7
Summary: Naruto manages to defeat Sasuke. Sakura kicks Naruto's ass before he could have a nervous breakdown. Warning: Character death, Sakura's violency and Super AU.


Her arms were shaking. Caused by the sobbing blonde she held on to. Haruno Sakura thought that she could heal him. But she was dead wrong. Naruto just didn't stop crying. Sakura tried to feel sad, too. But she couldn't. All she could feel right now is pity for their friend who was too late to return.

"It's over, Naruto." She whispered under her breath. The night had fallen and the sky was crying. They were sitting on a rock in a clearing for almost an hour. Naruto didn't listen nor even budge a little despite the cold. But Sakura was patient. She let him empty his guilt. The guilt of murdering their lost friend. His hands completely covered his face as he sobbed in her arms.

"I couldn't...bring him back..I just.." His voice cracked. "He swore on his life that he would crush the Leaf and he would kill..."

He broke down again.

Sakura didn't know what do to but to remain silent. She had lost affection to their lost teammate. Those feelings vanished to thin air when she saw Naruto hospitalized by Sasuke years ago. For Naruto's sake, she pretended to be determined to bring back Sasuke. But all she ever wanted was to keep Naruto from hurting himself. That bastard already went through a lot. She couldn't even stand the thought of losing Naruto. Naruto was her best friend.

A perfect partner in the battlefield.

The man who almost got killed because of a sole promise.

The one who stayed when the other betrayed them.

The one who had that rough voice she always wanted to hear.

.

Sakura cupped his face with her right hand and tilted his head up slightly. "Look at me, Naruto. Look at me."

Naruto's dull gaze flicked up to meet hers.

"This is the life of shinobis. We already chose to go down this path while we were still in the Academy. I don't think that the decision we made was a mistake. In this life, we get to experience everything. Death. Hardships. Betrayal. But in the end, we save more lives than we could take. Would you exchange the Leaf for Sasuke? No. That's why you finished him."

Her held her gaze steady and full of determination until Naruto looked away, freeing himself from her hand. Sakura took a deep breath and stood up.

"Stay here; I'll bury his body for you."

Naruto's eyes widened. He gripped her hand just before she took off. "No, we...will do it together."

Sakura half-smiled at his sudden energy for he was immovable earlier.

Several emotions sprung when he stood up. Anger. Disbelief. Pain. But he felt free. Free from his sole promise from years ago. He spent almost half of his life trying to fulfill that promise. But now, he's free. He had this new hope dancing in his mind. Hope that he never felt before. He staggered on his first few steps but he managed to steady himself and walk side by side with Sakura. The sides of his face that had been once stained by tears dried as the night wind blasted gently to his face. He looked at Sakura. Her expression was unreadable.

"Sakura.."

"Yes?"

"Are you mad?"

Sakura looked at him with weary eyes. "Why would I be?"

"I just..."

"No, Naruto. Seriously, you saved me from a lot of work if ever you left him alive and let him crush the village."

Naruto looked down on his moving feet.

"No, I'm not mad."

He looked at Sakura. She was grinning from ear to ear. "Now, where is he?"

Painful flashbacks went through Naruto's mind as he tried to recall where he had left the body. The avenger's last blow was a chidori spear which naruto barely evaded by jumping. While still up in the air, Naruto had summoned a final Giant Rasengan which finished his already wounded opponent. After that hesitant jutsu, Sasuke had flung back a few yards before he had slammed into a stump.

"Over there." Naruto pointed at the land which held his body. He and Sakura sprinted towards the stump.

By the time they got there, Sasuke, indeed, was lying there. Cold. Lifeless. Naruto stood still in his place while Sakura checked their former teammate's body. Her slender finger ran over his skin, checking any signs of life. His veins and arteries where all disconnected from the heart, Sakura noticed. Her hand fluttered to his torso. Warm, green chakra penetrated into his skin. Exactly thirteen ribs were shattered. His vertebral column was a mess. There was no type of medical ninjutsu that could regenerate cells from inside the body unless the person was still alive. There was completely no hope of ever bringing him back. Even with Lady Chiyo's Reanimation jutsu, Sasuke would die from blood loss.

Naruto broke down again when he saw Sakura's dark expression. He approached step by step and kneeled beside Sakura.

"For years..I trained.."

"Naruto.."

"Nothing has changed.."

Sakura sprang up, grabbed Naruto's arm and threw him a few good meters back. Naruto got up, his face completely astonished.

"You IDIOT! Nothing has changed? What does that mean?"

The pink-haired mad woman ran towards him and kicked his torso. Again, Naruto flew back. Thank Kami, he didn't feel anything. His body had been so tired he couldn't even feel Sakura's attacks. From a distance, he could hear her screaming just like Tsunade.

"You saved Gaara, battled six Peins altogether, saved the whole village and nothing has changed?!"

She approached swiftly. Naruto stood up just to get his collar grabbed by his angry teammate.

"And just a few hours ago, you battled an S-class criminal, your rival and saved him."

Something clicked inside Naruto. "Saved him from what?"

Tears strolled down Sakura's cheeks, followed by a reassuring smile on her lips.

"You just saved him from completely consuming himself in the darkness. I know that Sasuke didn't completely sever his bond. Because he knows that you could understand him. I would rather have Sasuke dead than see him completely drowned in his own hate." I would rather see Sasuke dead than see you get hurt inside, Sakura thought afterwards.

Naruto pondered over the times when he and Sasuke battled.

Sasuke's heart was filled with hate and anger. But there was fear in his red eyes. There were times that Sasuke was hesitant to attack when there was a chance. Sakura just cleared it all up for Naruto. Naruto broke free from Sakura's hold and wrapped his arms around her. His chest was warm and it comforted her. Sakura hoped it will always be. They were both crying . . . and smiling.

It took some effort to transport Sasuke's body back to Konoha. Maybe a lot. Imagine carrying a deoxygenated body inside a box crafted by Naruto and Sakura. A normal deoxygenated body could weigh a few kilos more than a person was still alive. Plus, it's inside a large wooden box. It was a good thing that Naruto has strong chakra endurance to make a shadow clone to last a few hours. Though doing it exhausted him heavily. Sakura jokingly suggested that she punched up in the air and then catch it from a few kilometers away. Naruto, at that time, couldn't even chuckle from exhaustion. They travelled for at least three days before they reached the gates of Konoha.

Two shinobis who usually guard the gates saw them.

"Hey, where were you? You both went missing for a month." One of them said as Naruto and Sakura passed by.

"Tsunade-sama is about to dispatch the whole ANBU to search for you."

"Well, tell her to cancel it. Naruto and I still have work to do." Sakura said, tapping the large wooden box in both hers and Naruto's hands."

The guards just stared at it in silence. "Okay, I'll be sure to get the message there.."

One of them said and the disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Naruto and Sakura, even though they were tired and sore, continued to walk through the streets of Konoha while carrying the box. Some people stared at them as they walked by. The two felt nostalgic. The familiar wind of the village, the noise of the villagers, the leaves dancing around to form foliage. The scenery never looked so beautiful. As if some burden was lifted from their shoulders. Both of them felt absolutely light.

The first to meet them was Kakashi, they offered their greetings.

"Kakashi-sensei, would you mind coming with us?" Naruto said with a smile. Kakashi, at first, looked curious but then he followed his students across the village. Eventually, the Rookie Nine have gathered and tailed Naruto and Sakura in curiousity. Also with Iruka, Gai, Kurenai, and Tsunade. They all followed Naruto and Sakura to the graveyard. Their expressions told Naruto and Sakura their thoughts. And they were right. There's a body inside the box though they didn't know whose.

All they need to do now is to tell the truth.

What do you think? Pretty AU, huh? This is the part where Uchiha Madara and Obito didn't exist, 'kay? Please R&R!


End file.
